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Published: March 24, 2009

Capellini Pomodoro Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Serving Size: 4
Ingredients
14 oz capellini pasta (angel hair)
8 medium tomatoes, cut into ½" pieces
11 fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
6 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Procedures

1. COOK capellini pasta according to package directions.
2. MIX diced tomatoes, chopped basil, garlic and oil. Season with salt and pepper.
3. DRAIN pasta. Toss pasta with tomato mixture in a sauté pan and heat throughout.
4. SERVE immediately.

Tuscan Garlic Chicken
Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Serving Size: 4

Ingredients
4 each (4 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 cups flour, plus 1 tablespoon
1 Tbsp salt
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 lb fettuccine pasta, cooked according to package directions
5 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp garlic, chopped
1 red pepper, julienne cut
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 lb whole leaf spinach, stemmed
2 cups heavy cream
1 cups Parmesan cheese, grated

Procedures
Pre-heat oven to 350ºF.
1. MIX 1½ cups flour, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken in the mixture, shaking off any excess.
2. HEAT 3 Tbsp oil in a large skillet. Cook chicken breasts 2 at a time over medium-high heat until golden brown and crisp (2-3 min). Add more oil for each batch as necessary.
3. PLACE cooked chicken breasts on a baking sheet and transfer to preheated oven. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
4. HEAT 2 Tbsp oil in a sauce pan. Add garlic and red pepper and cook for approximately 1 minute. Stir in 1 Tbsp flour, wine, spinach and cream and bring to a boil. Sauce is done when spinach becomes wilted. Complete by stirring in parmesan cheese.
5. COAT cooked, drained pasta with sauce, then top with chicken and remaining sauce. Garnish with extra Parmesan cheese.

Tuscan Garlic Chicken
Sauce Layering Tips - Building Flavor Layer-by-Layer
• The first layer is the battuto, the rich base of flavor every Italian chef starts with when preparing a sauce. Preheat olive oil and add base ingredients of chopped celery, onions and carrots. If desired, a small amount of meat such as pancetta, a lightly seasoned Italian bacon, can be added to the battuto just for seasoning. If meat is used, little or no oil is needed because of its natural fat content. Sauté until steam dissipates. Add garlic and parsley last, in order to maintain their flavor.
• When the onion becomes translucent and the garlic turns a pale, golden color, the sauce has entered the second stage, or soffritto. At this point, add meat if desired, such as ground beef or sausage, and cook until steam dissipates. Next, add wine to help balance the flavors. Lafata recommends a medium-bodied red wine, such as Chianti, and, to enhance the dining experience, cook with the same type of wine you plan to serve with the meal. Briefly cook the wine in the soffritto on medium heat to completely evaporate the alcohol.
• Insaporire, which means "to give flavor," is the final layer, when pureed tomatoes or paste, herbs (except delicate basil) and vegetables, such as mushrooms, bell peppers and olives, are added to the pan. Sauté until all the ingredients have been coated with the flavors of the onion and garlic. Sugar (or a high-quality Balsamic vinegar), salt, pepper and additional garlic can be added here to taste.
Tomato sauce should simmer for 30 minutes to one hour. A sauce with meat should simmer for two to four hours. To complete your sauce, add basil during the last 20 minutes of cooking. Garnish with fresh, chopped parsley before serving.

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